University of California

8/7/98 -- Associated Press

Coastal Berry Co. protests union election that elected anti-UFW group

(08-07) 04:41 EDT WATSONVILLE, Calif. (AP) -- The controversy over a recent union election at a large strawberry company took another twist when the owner of the company filed objections to the election.

The July 23 election at Coastal Berry Co. was won by the Coastal Berry Farmworkers Committee over the protests of the United Farm Workers, which called the election a "sham" and the farmworkers committee "a company front."

The UFW says company foremen and supervisors coerced workers into signing a petition in support of the election by threatening to fire them. The UFW also says that supervisors masterminded a July 1 anti-UFW rally at which several pro-UFW workers were beaten, and that more than 100 workers were not properly notified about the election.

Now Coastal Berry-owner David Gladstone, of McLean, Virginia, has filed objections with a state labor board that echo UFW charges.

"The objections filed by Gladstone are very similar to the ones filed by the UFW," said Lawrence Aldrete of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board. "He is saying the (farmworkers committee) created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation by leading a work stoppage, that signatures were gathered illegally and that about 160 recently laid-off workers were not notified of the election even though they were eligible to vote."

The UFW maintains that the farmworkers committee is a company front, despite Gladstone's objections to the election. The company is ruled by foremen who control hiring and firing, a UFW spokesman says.

"They still have all these old management people, especially the foremen and supervisors and they are the ones who orchestrated the violence and coerced workers into signing the petitions," said UFW spokesman Marc Grossman.

The Agricultural Labor Relations Board has delayed certifying the election as it continues to investigate all objections.

"So far none of the objections have been deemed legitimate," said Aldrete. "If they all prove to be groundless, the Coastal Berry Farmworkers Committee will be recognized as the official bargaining organization for Coastal Berry workers."